Francis i



(Nh Model.)

l WITNESSES F. I. FREEMAN.

SWITCH DEVICEFDB FEED TABLES.

(Application led Jan. 25, 1898.)

Patented Feb. 7, |899.

lol

INVENTOR TTED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

FRANCIS I. FREEMAN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE TOTTEN di IIOGG IRON AND STEEL FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SWITCH DEVICE FOR FEED-TABLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,858, dated February '7, i899.

Application tiled January 25, 1898. Serial No. 667,904. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, FRANCIS I. FREEMAN, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Switch Devices for Feed-Tables, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had'to the accompanying drawings, forming part of. this specilication, in which- Figure l is a partial longitudinal section of a feed-table .provided` with my improved switch mechanism, and Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same.

My invention relates to the devices employed for removing sheets or articles from a feed-table over which they are being carried and is designed to improve the construction of such devices and make their operation more easy and-certain. I

In the drawings, 2 represents a feed-table having a longitudinal series of lower rollers 3, which may be driven by sprocket-chain connections, as indicated in Fig. 2, or otherwise, asv desired. Between these lower rollers are located the supporting plates or aprons 4, and with the lower rollers are used a series of upper idle-rollers 5, which rest loosely thereon and are merely driven by friction from the lowerrollers or from the sheet passing between the rollers. Between two sets of the upper and lower rollers at any desired point alongthelength of the table I cut away one of the aprons 4 and replace the cut-away portion with a swinging apron 6, which is operated by a projecting lever-handle 7. W'hen this apron 6 is thrown into its inclined position, as shown in Fig. 1, it registers with the end of a s'tationaryinclined apron 8,Which leads to a pair of small rollers 9, the upper of which is positively driven by gearing lO, connecting it with one of the rollers 3. Beyond the rollers 9 the apron is continued, so as to form an elongated support 1l, upon which the sheets are driven. The feed-roller 5, adjacent to the rollers 9, is reduced in diameter, so as to allow the positioning of the apron thereover, and this roller, as well as the upper one of the rollers 9, is preferably spring-pressed, as shown, so as to -give them a sufficient grip upon the sheet and which might not otherwise be obtained on account of their reduced size and weight. At the lower end of the in clined apron 8 I preferably bend it, as shown at l2, so as to provide a guide-shield.

The operation is apparent. The swinging apron 6 normally lies horizontally in a line with the aprons 4 between the rollers and in this position acts merely as a support over which the sheets pass. When -it is desired to remove a sheet from the table, the plate V6o 6 is swung into its inclined position, and being either secured or held by the operator in this position the sheet will be guided upwardly along this plate and the apron'8 and into engagement with the rollers 9, which will force it onto the support ll. The swinging apron 6 may be swung back into normal position as soon as the front end of the sheet has passed upon the apron 8, and the re-V moval of this sheet will in no wise interfere 7o with the succeeding sheets or articles.

. The advantages of my invention result from -the use ofthe swinging plate, which normally lies in a substantially horizontal plane between the feed -rollers, but which when tilted guides the sheets or articles upwardly upon the apron.

Many changes in the form of this swinging plate or apron, as well as in the arrangement of the'feed-table, may be made without de- 8o parting from my invention, since Vhat I claim isl. The combination with a feed-table hav ing a longitudinal series of feed-rollers over and in contact with the upper surfaces of which the metal passes, of a pivoted plate which normally rests entirely below the path of the metal passing over the rollers, and be.- tween certain of the rollers, and means for tilting the plate into inclined position across 9o the pat-h of the metal to deflect it from the table, substantially as described.

2. A feed-table having a longitudinal series of positively-driven feed-rollers, a series of idle-rollers coacting therewith, a pivoted plate lying normally in horizontal position between certain of the rollers and below the tops of the lower series of rollers, the free end of the plate extending in the direction of the feed, and means for tilting the plate into leo an inclined position across ,the line of the feed, substantially as described.

3. A feed-table having a longitudinal sef tween the rollers, and upper driven rollers ries of positively-driven feed-rollers, a pair arranged to seize the sheet and remove it of driven feed-rollers located above the same, from the table, the plate being arranged when I5 and a swinging apron lying normally in a tilted to guide the sheet into these upper roll- 5 horizontal plane between the lower rollers ers, substantially as described.

and arranged when tilted to direct the arti- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set ele to the upper feed-rollers, substantially as my hand. desfmbed- FRANCIS I. FREEMAN.

4. A feed-table having a longitudinal se zo ries of positively-driven feed-rollers, a series Witnesses:

of idle-rollers eoaeting therewith, a pivoted C. BYNES, plate lying normally in a horizontal plane be- G. I. HOLDSHIP. 

